Drying hanger assembly for woolen garments, and the like

ABSTRACT

A drying hanger assembly is provided for supporting garments, such as woolen sweaters, and the like, which absorb relatively large amounts of water when washed, and which are relatively heavy when wet. The assembly of the invention is constructed so that the garment is supported essentially along its entire length so that there is no tendency for the fabric to stretch, as would otherwise be the case, due to the weight of water absorbed into the material. The assembly, in one of its embodiments is a wireformed two-piece compatible device which includes a first section having essentially a coat hanger configuration and which includes extensible shoulder loops and a hook-shaped support means. The first section of the aforesaid embodiment also includes a serpentine-shaped inner wire-formed member which extends down the interior of the supported garment. The assembly of the aforesaid embodiment also includes a serpentine-shaped second section which fits over the external surface of the supported garment, and which serves to hold the garment in place over the first section so that it is supported essentially continually along its length.

United States Patent [191 Bliss (451 June 5, 1973 [22] Filed:

[54] DRYING HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR WOOLEN GARMENTS, AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: William W. Bliss, 1756 North Fuller, Los Angeles, Calif. 90046 Sept. 10, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 179,438.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,998,903 5/1961 Day ..223/68 599,244 2/1898 Larsen ..223/88 1,324,679 12/1919 McClure ..223/92 930,407 8/1909 Nagely 223/85 X 2,666,559 1/1954 Wexler et al. ..223/68 2,761,599 9/1956 Lancaster ..223/92 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney-Jessup & Beecher [57] ABSTRACT A drying hanger assembly is provided for supporting garments, such as woolen sweaters, and the like, which absorb relatively large amounts of water when washed, and which are relatively heavy when wet. The assembly of the invention is constructed so that the garment is supported essentially-along its entire length so that there is no tendency for the fabric to stretch, as would otherwise be the case, due .to the weight of water absorbed into the material. The assembly, in one of its embodiments is a wire-formed two-piece compatible device which includes a first section having essentially a coat hanger configuration and which includes extensible shoulder loops and a hook-shaped support means. The first section of the aforesaid embodiment also includes a serpentine-shaped inner wire-formed member which extends down the interior of the supported garment. The assembly of the aforesaid embodiment also includes a serpentineshaped second section which fits over the external surface of the supported garment, and which serves to hold the garment in place over the first section so that it is supported essentially continually along its length.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED H i n v 3.737.079

SHEET 10F 6 PATENTEDJUH 5 I975 3.737. 079

SHEET 2 0F 6 PATENTEDJUH 5 I975 SHEET n 0F 6 @&

PATENTEDJUH 5 1m SHEET 5 OF 6 r I Z? M. M i m NW 0 M fig PATENTEDJUH 5 I973 SHEET 8 OF 6 5 w 7 y M3 M A m Mg DRYING HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR WOOLEN GARMENTS, AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The usual present-day practice in drying sweaters, and the like, after they have been washed is to block the wet garment on a suitable absorbent fabric, such as a towel, and to place the towel and the garment on a horizontal flat surface. Such a method, however, usually requires several days to dry the garment due to the minimal amount of air circulation around it. Most woolen garments cannot be dried in mechanical driers because of shrinkage problems. Moreover, woolen garments, and the like, cannot normally be hung to dry on a line, or on a conventional prior art hanger, because of the tendency for the garment to stretch out of shape due to the weight of the water absorbed into the fabric.

The hanger of the present invention is constructed to obviate the tendency of the sweater to stretch when it is hung. As will be described, the garment maybe conveniently and easily fitted over the first section of the assembly of the invention, and, in certain embodiments to be described, a second section is slipped into place and clipped to the first section, the second section extending over the outer surface of the garment to hold it in place on the first section. With such an assembly, even heavy sweaters may be hung to dry without any tendency for them to become misshapen, or to stretch, and the drying time is reduced materially as compared with the usual practice of blocking the sweater on a towel supported by a horizontal surface.

The hanger assembly to be described, in certain of its embodiments, is completely wire formed, it being preferable that the wires which make up the assembly be appropriately coated with synthetic plastic or rubbertype coating, as is presently used in the case of certain prior art coat hangers. As will be evident as the description proceeds, the hanger assembly of the invention serves to support the garment along its length, effectively blocking the garment and preventing its fabric from stretching under the weight of the water absorbed thereby.

The construction of the invention permits sweaters and other garments which absorb relatively large amounts of water, and which have a tendency to stretch, to be hung up to dry so that all sides of the garment are exposed to circulating air. The assembly of the invention not only reduces the drying time materially, as compared with the aforesaid prior art towelblocking method, but it also permits the garment to be hung to dry in much less space and much more conveniently than the aforesaid prior art technique.

Another feature of the assembly of the invention is that it is relatively simple in its construction, extremely easy to use, and inexpensive to construct.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective representation of one of the elements of a first section of a two-piece wire-formed hanger assembly constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of extensible shoulder loops which serve to support the garment, and which may be snapped into the section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective representation of a second section which is intended to extend across theexternal surface of the supported garment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective representation of a garment supported on a hanger assembly formed of the components of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a section of the assembly of FIG. 4, taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective representation showing a modification of the construction of the upper part of the element shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective representation of a second embodiment of the invention which includes a first sec: tion intended to be fitted down into the interior of the supported garment, and which receives a plurality of resilient clips, or loops, for holding the garment in place;

FIG. 8 is a perspective representation of a garment supported on the embodiment of FIG. 7, and held in place by a series of resilient clips;

FIG. 9 is a perspective representation'of a first section of a hanger assembly representing a modified form of the assembly of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 10 is a perspective representation of a second section for use with the modified section of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a side section showing a garment supported on the modified embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The hanger of FIGS. 1-5 includes a first section shown in FIG. 1 and designated generally as 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the section 10 is wire-formed, and it includes a hook 12 at its upper end to permit the assembly to be hung from any appropriate bracket. The wire from the hook 12, in the embodiment ofFIG. 1 is extended and assumes a serpentine shape as designated 14. The part 14 is intended to extend down into the supported garment, and it includes a series of spaced horizontal transverse arms which, as best shown in FIG. 4 extend horizontally across the interior of the garment when the hanger assembly is supported by an appropriate bracket.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 also has a bracket 16 welded, or otherwise attached to the neck section of the hook 12, and the bracket 16 supports a pair of extensible shoulder loops l8 and 20. The shoulder loops l8 and 20 are supported on the bracket 16, and are extended as best shown in FIG. 4 to support the shoulder and arms of the garment. The shoulder support loops 18 and 20, like the other sections of the hanger assembly of FIGS. l-5 are formed of wire loops which may be coated, as mentioned above, with an'appropriate plastic or rubber-like material.

The garment is first hung on the assembly, and after the garment is in place, the shoulder loops l8 and 20 are extended. The shoulder loops are shaped so that when pulled apart, they turn downwardly at an angle, as shown in FIG. 4 to support the sleeves. This downward angle allows the sleeves to be supported in the position shown in FIG. 4, rather than at right angles to the vertical. In this way, long sleeves which are not completely supported by the loops hang freely from the ends, rather than falling at right angles to the supported part of the sleeves, so that misshaping of the sleeve is prevented.

The assembly also includes a second wire-formed serpentine section designated 24 in FIG. 3 which, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, has an upper extremity which is configured to hook around the neck of the hook l2,

I ers,tandthe like. t a v The embodiment oftheinvention shownin F168;? and 8 includes a first section 50 which, like the preview the shoulder loops 55 and 57,as before; are spread apart'and down the sleeves of the garment; The garally continuous manner along its lengthsoi t hatthere is i no tendency for the garment to stretchjon become misshapen, while drying i y 3L s s V v a The embodiment of FIG. 6 is generally similarto that of FIG. 1, the difference being that the support bracket designated 16a in FIG. 6 is formed integral withthte, book 12 and the serpentine section 14, merelywby hp-,5 Y

1116100 1104, ss d gih FIG. 11.

I5 neckof the hooky l2, which provides a supportxforthe upper extremity of the miter section 24 m preVen tQit 1 from sliding down, and also to assure that the end ofthe secondsection held up away from the; garment, which propriately bending the wire making up the section. The embodiment of F1016 includesaloop fi at the is especially important in the case of turt lenec k sweattaily across the inner surfacevoflthe garment, with the individiial wires of eachtpain being spaced from one another, asshownllin FIGS. 9 ahd krhe' jihdividual arms of eachfpaipmay befpulled apart or moved together, depending upon the size and width of q the jsupported garment, y i H The second sectionpf the latter embodiment; as showninFlG!10ghasjasiniilarconfigurationtothetirst v 1 section; anditfli as pairs of transverse artns 120 which extend across the supported garment, as shown in FIG;

' g 11, across the'externals urface of the garment and betweenthecorresponding pairs of arms 114. The second section ishookedonto the heck of the hook 102 aboye v It willbeiappreciated thatt hebasic concept of the hive ntion is theprovisioripf an appropriate structures for supporting woolen garments, and otheri'siniilar gan hmentstinsuch a manner that asupportis provided for thegarmentalong its entire length, so as to prevent the o us embodiment includes a hook 52 andsupportbrack "ets 54 for looped shoulderj supports 55 and 57 the shoulder supports 55 and 57 being similarto the shoulj der supports 18 and 20 of FIG. 2. However, in theem-f bodiment of FIG.,7, thelower end ofthewire forming the hook 52 and bracket 54 supports afurthe'r'upper garment from becoming misshapen during the drying;

process.

Although certain embodiments are shown aswire- .fOrnied, it isclearthat other structures coiild be made, formed, for example, of pl astic; or other materials.

Itiwill be appreciated; therefore, that although vari-r ous embodiments of the invention have beenbhowri; and'described,modifications may be made. It is in ment is pulled over the undulating loops58; soth at it it ment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the supported garment is held in place by a series of resilient clips 62which are placed around the exterior of the supported garment and which are supported at successive nodes in thc undulat-v ing loops 58, as shownin FIG 8. The resilient clips 62 may be formed of plasticcoated wire, or other appropriate resilient materiaLandare slippedinto place from one side easily and by onehandjAlternatively theclips 62 may be replaced by resilient loops, or the like.

Viding a Positive support forthe garmenti The embodiment of FlGS,9-l1 includsa withinthe spirit andscope of the invention, such cover age being presenteti ingthe following Whatis claimedl is:

1AAhanger assemblyforjuse in dryiriggarments, suchas sweaters andthe likef and which cornpriseszya tii's tsection adaptedtoextend down into theinterior of 5'Jthe supported garmentand shaped to support the garnient essentially along the entire length the'reofpin" which said fir st sect ibn includes a plurality of spaced, vertically:extending loop members, each havingan u ndulating configuration, and a plurality of resilient members supported on said first section and extending transversely withrespect tosaid undulating loop members and around the exteriorof the supported garment said resilient membersbeing spaced verticallyalong the garment atsuccessivenodes of the aforesaid undulating Ibop members i r 1 3. A hanger assembly for useindr yitig garments;

ls uch as sweaters, and the lilce and which comprises a i first section adaptedtoeqttencl down into the interior of the supported garmentand shaped to support the garrnent essentially along the entire lengththereof, said tion 100 which, like the section 10hr FIG l includes r a hook 102 at its uppenend and also i ncludes a loopt it 104 for supporting the upperextremity ofthe section, y as explained above .A pair o fexten sible shoulderloops 106 and 108 are supported eh a bracketQllOwliieh may explained in conjunction with the ernbodimentiofiFlGg i In the latter embodimentQthe serpentine lower part H vofthefirst sectionisconfigured tofincludea plurality,

plurality of l ioriiontal vertically spaced transverse arms extending across the interiorof the garment an d which includes asccond section of a serpentine configuration and having a plurali y O f vhi n'izontally extending vertically spaced transverse arms extending acrosspthe extefthe supportedflgarmentand shaped to support the garclipped over said first section and which also includes a plurality of pairs of transverse arms adapted to extend horizontally across the external surface of the supported garment and spaced vertically from one another.

I I i I I 

1. A hanger assembly for use in drying garments, such as sweaters, and the like, and which comprises: a first section adapted to extend down into the interior of the supported garment and shaped to support the garment essentially along the entire length thereof, in which said first section includes a plurality of spaced vertically extending loop members, each having an undulating configuration, and a plurality of resilient members supported on said first section and extending transversely with respect to said undulating loop members and around the exterior of the supported garment, said resilient members being spaced vertically along the garment at successive nodes of the aforesaid undulating loop members.
 2. The assembly defined in claim 1, in which said resilient members are each in the form of a U-shaped clip.
 3. A hanger assembly for use in drying garments, such as sweaters, and the like, and which comprises a first section adapted to extend down into the interior of the supported garment and shaped to support the garment essentially along the entire length thereof, said first section having a serpentine shape and including a plurality of horizontal vertically spaced transverse arms extending across the interior of the garment, and which includes a second section of a serpentine configuration and having a plurality of horizontally extending vertically spaced transverse arms extending across the exterior of the supported garment between the transverse arms of the first section.
 4. The combination defined in claim 3, in which said first and second sections are wire-formed.
 5. A hanger assembly for use in drying garments, such as sweaters, and the like, and which comprises: a first section adapted to extend down into the interior of the supported garment and shaped to support the garment essentially along the entire length thereof, in which said first section has a serpentine shape and includes a plurality of pairs of arms extending transversely across the interior of the supported garment and vertically spaced from one another, and which includes a second serpentine section configured to be clipped over said first section and which also includes a plurality of pairs of transverse arms adapted to extend horizontally across the external surface of the supported garment and spaced vertically from one another. 